Destapling device



Aug. 11, 1964 F. B. vlzzl DESTAPLING DEVICE Filed oct. 19, 1962 INVENTOR. 'lzl.

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United States Patent O 3,143,800 DESTAPLING DEVICE Felix Vizzi, 615 Beverly Drive, Magnolia, NJ. Filed Oct. 19, 1962, Ser. No. 231,759 4 Claims. (Cl. '3G-261) This invention relates to articles of stationery, and is especially concerned with a destapling device.

As is well known, there are at present staple-removing devices, such as that disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2,033,- 050. While such staple removers perform generally satisfactorily in the removal of lighter-weight or -gauge staples, especially when employed with dexterity, the prior-art devices are substantially useless in the removal of larger or heavier staples. Also, the prior-art staple removers require a certain degree of skill or acquired competence to repeatedly perform a neat staple-removing job, especially is it diicult to remove staples from relatively few or thin papers without mutilating the same.

Accordingly, it is one object of the present invention to provide a destapling device which overcomes the abovementioned dili'iculties of the prior art-devices, and affords a quick and easy means for staple removal or destapling under all possible conditions.

It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide a destapling device which is admirably well suited for operation upon relatively large and heavy staples, as well as for use when relatively few or lightweight sheets of paper are stapled together.

lt is another object of the present invention to provide a destapling structure having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraphs which may be simply and eifectively incorporated in a conventional staple remover for use in combinative cooperation therewith.

Still a further object of the present invention resides in the provision of a destapling device of the type described which is extremely simple in construction, durable and entirely reliable throughout a long useful life, and which can be economically mass-produced for sale at a reasonable price.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

ln the drawings:

FIGURE l is a perspective view showing a destapling device constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FlGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the FIGURE l;

FlGURE 3 is a front elevational view of the device of FIGURE l;

FlGURE 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 4 4 of FIGURE 2; and

FlGURE 5 is a side elevational view showing the device of the instant invention in its initial stage of operation, and illustrating in phantom alater stage of operation.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the destapling device illustrated therein is generally designated and includes a pair of elongate members or arms 11 and 12 having one pair of adjacent arm ends 13 and 14 pivotally connected together, as by a pin 15. The other, distal arm ends 16 and 17, remote from the pivotal connection are thereby swingable toward and away from each other.

device of 3,143,800 Patented Aug. 11, 1964 More specifically, the arms 11 and 12 are each advantageously of channel-shaped configuration, the arm 11 including a pair of laterally spaced, generally parallel side walls 20, and a back 21 interconnecting the side walls and terminating short of the ends of the side walls. Similarly, the arm 11 includes a pair of laterally spaced, generally parallel channel side walls 22 connected together by a back 23 which terminates longitudinally short of the ends of the side walls. As best seen in FIGURE 4, the channel-shaped arms 11 and 12 are arranged in facing relation with respect to each other, and the lateral spacing of the side walls 22 relative to that of the side walls 20 is such that the side walls 22 enter between the side walls 20, with each side wall 22 adjacent to and inward of a respective side wall 20.

The channel side walls 20 are advantageously formed at the arm end 16 to define a pair of laterally spaced, generally parallel claws 25, while the channel side walls 22 are similarly configured at the arm end 17 to provide a pair of laterally spaced, generally parallel claws 26. The claws 25 and 26 may be similar to corresponding elements of prior-art devices, such as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2,033,050. Thus, the claws 25 and 26 may be considered as two pairs of claws, with the claws of each pair in generally facing relation and offset for relative movement in scissorslike operation. Thus, in conventional manner the arms 11 and 12 are movable toward each other to engage the claws 25 and 26 beneath the bight portion of a staple and raise the latter from the stapled material.

Exteriorly of the arms 11 and 12, say on the outer sides of back walls 21 and 23, there may be provided suitable manually actuable linger-grip elements or pads, as at 28 and 29. The linger-grip members or pads 28 and 29 may be Xed to their respective arms 11 and 12 by rivets or other suitable means, and may substantially completely cover the outer faces of the respective channel backs 21 and 23, preferably being longitudinally coextensive therewith so as to terminate short of the arm ends.

Suitable resilient means may be employed to resiliently urge the arms 11 and 12 away from each other, such as a spring 30 about the pivot pin 15 and having its opposite ends in bearing engagement with the inner surfaces of channel backs 21 and 23.

At the adjacent ends 13 and 14 of arms 11 and 12, the pivot pin 15 projects laterally across the channelshaped arms through the side walls 20 and 22; and, it will be noted that the pivot pin is located adjacent to but at a distance spaced longitudinally inward from the ends edges of the side walls.

More particularly, the end regions 13 of the side walls 20 include end edges 32, and the end regions 14 of the side walls 22 include end edges 33. The side-wall end edges 32 and 33 may be generally ush with each other along the medial region of their extent. A cutout, slot or notch 34 is formed in each end edge 32, extending longitudinally inward therefrom and opening laterally through opposite sides of the respective side wall 20. Similarly, a slot, groove or notch 35 is formed in each end edge 33, extending inward therefrom and opening laterally outward through opposite sides of the respective side wall 22. In the limiting position of swinging movement of arms 11 and 12 away from each other, as seen in FIG- URES 1 and 2, the slots or notches 34 and 35 are all in lateral alignment with each other, extending parallel to the pin 15. The notches 34 and 35 are preferably of the same configuration, so as to be substantially congruent with each other in their laterally aligned condition; and as best seen in FIGURE 2, the notches 34 and 35 are of an inwardly increasing configuration, each extending inwardly between diverging or undercut side walls and terminating in an outwardly facing bottom or end wall.

this configuration, the laterally extending edge' region 32V defines heel portionsl 38, and the laterally extending edge regions 33 define heel portions 39. Extending laterally inwardbetween the heel portions 38' are a pair" of tabs 40 which' connect and enlarge the surface area of the heel portionsY 38. Similarly, a pair` of tabs 41 extend laterally inward toward each other from the heel portions 39 to connectV and enlarge the surface area of the latter.

Thus, the edge portions 38 and tabsv40 combine to deinera heel offset laterally on one side of. the center line of the structure, while the edgeiportions 39 and tabs 41 combine to define a heel offset on the other side of the structure center line. The heel 38, 40, and the heel 3'9, 41 are employed, as will appear presently in greater detail, as bearing surfaces or fulcrums in the destapling operation.

In operation, destapling may be effected both by severing'of the staple, either with or without completeremoval of the staple, or by complete staple removal.

` In FIGURE 5 is shown a staple 45 secured to a surface 46- with the bight portion of the staple seated on the surface 46. In. order to sever and remove the bight portion of the staple from the remainder thereof, it is only necessary to arrange the device with the staple bight portion received in the aligned notches 34 and 35, the solid-line condition of FIGURE 5. Upon manual squeezing of the finger pads 28 and 29 to move the arms 11 and. 12 toward each other, each adjacent pair of notches 34 and 35 are moved or slid across each other to'cause shearing of the staple bight at two locations. Viewed otherwise, opposite side walls or faces of each adjacent pair of notches 34 and 35 may be considered as facing, offset jaws grasping the staple bight portion. By the undercut or divergent configuration of these facing, offset notch side walls or jaws, the staple bight portion is urged inward against the inner or bottom Walls of the notches.

The scissorslike action occurs upon squeezingl of the iingerpieces 28 and 29V to move the facing notch sides or jaws toward and .past each other. v

When it is desiredto remove av staple without severance, the ngerpieces 28 and 29 are squeezed only suciently to hold the staple bight portion in the notches 34 and 35, and the entire device 10 is then rolled or rocked, as shown in phantom in FIGURE 5. That is, the destapling device 10 is rocked about the heel 38, 40, vor the heel 39, 41, the selected heel rolling or rocking in bearing engagement with the surface 46 to extractV the staple 45 from the surface.

Of course, the extracted stapleV is removed from the device 10 by mere release of the ngerpieces 28 and 29 iwhich causes alignment of the notches 34 and 3S, from which the staple then drops.w

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides a destapling device which fully accomplishes its intended objects and is welladapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture and use.

Although` the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What isA claimed is:

1. A destapling device comprising a pair of elongate channel-shaped arms each having a pair of side walls and a back and facing toward each other with the side walls ofone arm entering between the side walls of the other arm, pivot meansextending through the side walls of botharms adjacent to and spaced inward from one end thereof to connect the arms for limited relative swinging movement about said pivot means, resilient means interconnected between said arms and urging the latter in one direction ofv relative movement to move the other ends of said-arms away from each other, said one ends of said arms being formed with slots extending laterally through the side walls of said arms and facing outward from said one ends of said arms, said slots all being in alignment with each other when said arms are in their limiting position of movement in said one direction for receiving the bight portion of a staple, whereby relative movement of said arms against the action of said resilient means is adapted to effect gripping of the staple.

2, A destapling device according to claim 1, wherein said slots are undercut to urge a grasped staple portion inward of the slots.

3. A destapling device according to claim 1, said side wallsV of said one arm being in respective outward facing engagement with said side walls of said other arm for relative sliding of adjacent side walls upon said swinging movement, whereby said slots provide scissors action for shearing the bight of a staple.

4. A destapling device according to claim 1, in combination with outstanding heel portions. on said one ends of said side walls, and connection tabs extending between s'aid heel portions of each pair of side walls, for rocking engagementwith a supporting surface to raise a gripped staple.

References-.Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 831,676 McLeran Sept. 25, 1906 1,193,930 Schulz Aug. 8, 1916 1,356,882 Pendleton Gct. 26, 1920 1,495,028 Mitchell May 20, 1924 2,033,050 Pankonin Mar. 3, 1936 2,940,727 Segal June 14, 1960 

1. A DESTAPLING DEVICE COMPRISING A PAIR OF ELONGATE CHANNEL-SHAPED ARMS EACH HAVING A PAIR OF SIDE WALLS AND A BACK AND FACING TOWARD EACH OTHER WITH THE SIDE WALLS OF ONE ARM ENTERING BETWEEN THE SIDE WALLS OF THE OTHER ARM, PIVOT MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH THE SIDE WALLS OF BOTH ARMS ADJACENT TO AND SPACED INWARD FROM ONE END THEREOF TO CONNECT THE ARMS FOR LIMITED RELATIVE SWINGING MOVEMENT ABOUT SAID PIVOT MEANS, RESILIENT MEANS INTERCONNECTED BETWEEN SAID ARMS AND URGING THE LATTER IN ONE DIRECTION OF RELATIVE MOVEMENT TO MOVE THE OTHER ENDS OF SAID ARMS AWAY FROM EACH OTHER, SAID ONE ENDS OF SAID ARMS BEING FORMED WITH SLOTS EXTENDING LATERALLY THROUGH THE SIDE WALLS OF SAID ARMS AND FACING OUTWARD FROM SAID 